defendant
n. countablen. the person in a court of law who has been accused of a crime or is being sued by someone else.
n. the individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law. In criminal proceedings, this party is formally charged with an offence.
The defendant stood up when the judge entered the room.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges after consulting with her legal team for several hours.
Legal counsel for the defendant argued that the evidence presented by the prosecution was circumstantial and failed to meet the burden of proof required for a conviction.
From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.
From Middle English defendaunt (“defendant in a suit; defender”), borrowed from Old French defendant, nominalisation of defendant; see above.
Commonly used in both criminal and civil law contexts; often contrasted with the 'plaintiff' or the 'prosecution'.